Cenovus Energy announces executive retirements

CALGARY, Alberta -- Cenovus Energy Inc. has announced that four Cenovus executives have made the decision to retire. Their transitions off the executive team will begin at different times over the course of 2015.

To minimize disruption to Cenovus's business and ensure the transitions are orderly and managed, the retiring executives will continue in varying capacities until the end of the first quarter of 2016.

The retiring executives are:

• John Brannan, executive V.P. and COO, who will transition from his role in September. Brannan has 14 years with Cenovus and its predecessor companies and has been responsible for all upstream projects and operations, centralized supply services and health and safety functions for the past five years.
• Kerry Dyte, executive V.P., general counsel and corporate secretary, who will transition from his role in December. Dyte is responsible for Cenovus's legal, Board, subsidiary, corporate governance, internal audit and Cenovus operations management system assurance matters. He has 14 years with Cenovus and its predecessor companies.
• Sheila McIntosh, executive V.P., Environment & Corporate Affairs, who will transition from her role in September. McIntosh has been with Cenovus and its predecessor companies for 30 years and is responsible for Cenovus's environment strategy and performance, regulatory affairs, communications, corporate reputation, investor, government and stakeholder relations, and Aboriginal affairs.
• Hayward Walls, executive V.P., Strategy & Organization Development, who will transition from his role in July. Walls has 26 years with Cenovus and its predecessor companies and is responsible for Cenovus's strategic planning, human resource functions, information systems and technology and administrative services.
• Brian Ferguson, president and CEO, said, "As a result of our strong focus on internal succession planning at Cenovus, I am pleased to announce that we are promoting three people from within the company. In addition, earlier this year we initiated an external search for a president, Upstream Oil & Gas,who will be responsible for our oil sands and conventional operations. We expect to have someone in that role in September."

The new executive appointments are:

• Jacqui McGillivray, senior V.P. & CPO, who will be appointed executive V.P., Safety & Organization Effectiveness.
• Al Reid, senior V.P., Christina Lake & Narrows Lake, who will be appointed executive V.P., Environment, Corporate Affairs & Legal.
• Drew Zieglgansberger, senior V.P., Operations Shared Services, who will be appointed executive V.P., Oil Sands Manufacturing.

Continuing executives are:

• Harbir Chhina, executive V.P. Oil Sands, who will be taking on a new role as executive V.P., Oil Sands Development. Chhina's new role will be focused on unlocking and developing our growth potential.
• Bob Pease, executive V.P., Marketing, Products & Transportation, who will be taking on a new role as executive V.P., Corporate Strategy & President, Downstream.
• Ivor Ruste, executive V.P. & CFO.